Planoohaph co



LIL. BRIGGS.

PERCUSSION FUSE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 19, 1'91].

1 ,31 1 ,794. Patented July 29, 1919.

LOUIS L. BRIGGS, OF'NEW YORK, N. Y.

PERCUSSION-FUSE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29, 1919.

Application filed October 19, 1917. Serial No. 197,461.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS L. Dnrees, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Percussion-Fuses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My present invention relates to improvements in percussion fuses for projectiles, and it is intended to provide-a fuse of that type which is armed by the centrifugal motion imparted to the projectile incident to propelling same from the gun, and which cannot be accidentially set off by dropping the projectile base down, or nose down, or-sidewise,or in any direction through any ordinary height, and which is armed when the projectile is fired from the ,gun and opcrates by percussion when the projectile strikes the target or any other solid object.

My invention is especially intended to provide an improvement over the structure shown in the patent to William H. Driggs, No. 419,1 l3, granted January 7 1890, and entitled Percussion fuse for projectiles; and the patent to William H. Driggs, No. 818,943, granted April 24, 1906, and entitled Shell fuse.

It has been found in practice that with such fuses it has'been necessaryto make the springs quite stout, so as to stand what is known as'the drop test, in which the projectiles are dropped end on through a'height of forty feet on 'to a solid plate; and in order 'to have these springs function ;prop erly,the weights carried by the ends of the arms must be comparatively heavy so as to-get the desired centrifugal force. 'The result has been that the springs are difficult and expensive to manufacture, as will be evident from inspecting Figures 7 to 9 of the William H. 'Driggs Patent No. 818,943, aforesaid. 7

According to the,present invention, 1 am able to use very light springs stamped out or cut out ofapiece of sheet metal, andjbent to the desired shape,'to forma-clip. Moreover, I ,provide "an arrangement 'by which there are rigid metal locking'bars interposed between'the plunger and the cap bearingthe primer, which will absolutely prevent the firing :point carried by the ,plunger from striking the primer until after the shell has been spun up.

My invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the several views.

Fig. 1 represents a central longitudinal section through the complete fuse, parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 2 shows a section along the line 22 of Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 shows aplan view of the plunger, and the parts carried thereby as detached from the fuse, the parts being shown in plan as relative to the section shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showingthe two locking bars in the normal position, but with'the plunger removed; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the spring clip for normally holding the locking bars in the engaging position.

1 represents the fuse stock constructed in the usual way, except that it is provided with a socket 2, which is preferably angular in shape to receive the lugs projecting from the-heel of "the plunger, which will be hereinafter described.

The plunger 3 is provided with wedge shaped grooves 4, on each side thereof, which are deeper at the front end of the plunger than at the rear, and the grooves are partly obstructed at the rear by the shoulders 5. The heel of the plunger is provided with a couple of lugs or tenons 6, spaced apart as at 7, see Fig. 3, and the front end of the plunger is provided with a firing pin 8, which is preferably made of .hard steel, or other similar metal, and inserted in the plunger, as shown in Fig. 1.

'Mounted in the grooves 4 are the locking bars '9, which are loosely held on the pin l0,projecting'tl1rough the plunger 3. The heels of these bars 9 loosely engage the shoulders 5. On the outer surface thebars are grooved as at 11 to receive the side members 1:2 of the spring clip 12. This spring, when distended, is in .the form shown in Fig. 5, and its base projects in between the lugs 6, and its side members '12 projectinto the, grooves 11 in thebars 9 so 'thattheb'ars and spring members are free to swingoutward, but cannot swing laterally. The bars are held against rearward movement "by the nular recess 16 between the rib 13 and the" interior wall of the fuse stock.

It will be seen that no matter if the fuse be dropped from any reasonable height or in any direction that the locking bars 9 will i always prevent the firing point 8 from coming in contact with the primer 15 If'the shell be spun up, incident to the firing of the gun, the tenon 6 engaging in the socket 2,

. will prevent the plunger from rotating in the fuse stock, and the centrifugatmotion will swing the bars 9 outward agalnst the grippingaction of the'spring 12.

As the projectile slows down due to the resistance of the air, the plunger will tend to creep forward owing to its own inertia, and the reduced portions 9 of the locking bars will pass forward into the annular recess 16, untilthe firing point approaches, or even touches, the primer.

If the projectile slows down in its flight, its rotary velocity will also decrease; and, if the range be long enough the locking arms 9 will tend to swing inward again under-the action of the springs 12, gripping the outer surface of the annular rib 13, and holding the fuse in the armed position, even after the outward throw of the bars, due to the centrifugal force, is succeeded by the inward throw of said bars, due to the gripping of the spring.

Thus it will be seen that I provide a fuse that is absolutely safe under all conditions, except when the shell is spun up, and which is immediately armed as the projectile passes through the bore of the gun, and'which is kept in the armed condition irrespective of whether the high rotary velocity of the projectile continues or not. 1

It will also be seen that no difficult Inachine work is required on the plunger, or

arrested as when striking the target, and

thus I get the result of their combined inertia for operating on the firing pin when the shell strikes the target.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in the herein described fuse, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a percussion fuse for projectiles, the combination with a fuse stock and a primer mounted therein, of a plunger mounted in said fuse stock, and provided with a firing pin, locking bars pivotally attached to said plunger, and adapted to engage an, abut-- ment carried by the fuse stock, and a spring clip also carried by said plunger and adapted to hold said bars in the locking position in engagement with said abutment except when the shell is spun up, substantially as described.

, 2. Ina percussion fuse for projectiles, the combination with a fuse stock and a primer mounted therein, of a plunger mounted in said fuse stock and provided with a firing pin, means for holding said plunger from rotating in said fuse stock, locking bars pivotally attached to said plunger, and adapted to engage an abutment carried by the fuse stock, and a spring clip also carried by said plunger and adaptedto hold said bars in the locking position in engagement with said abutment except when the shell is spun up, substantially as described.

3. In a percussion fusefor projectiles, the combination with a fuse stock and a primer mounted therein, of a plunger mounted in said fuse stock and provided with a firing pin, the said plunger having grooves in the opposite sides thereof, with shoulders in rear of said grooves, locking bars pivotally at tached to said plunger, and mounted in said grooves, and having their heels engaging said shoulders, and adapted to engage an abutment carried by the fuse stock, and a spring clip mounted on the base of said plunger and normally holding said bars in the locking position in engagement with said abutment except when the shell is spun up, substantially as described.

4. In a percussion fuse for projectiles, the combination with a fuse stock and a primer mounted therein, of a plunger mounted in said fuse stock and provided with a firing pin, the said plunger having grooves in the opposite sidesthereof, with shoulders in rear of said ro'oves, locking bars, pivotally attached to said plunger, and mounted in said grooves, and having their heels engaging said shoulders, and adapted to engage an abutment carried by the fuse stock, and .a spring clip mounted on the base of said plunger and normally holding said bars in the locking position in engagement with said abutment except when the shell is spun up, said spring clip having its side members engaging in recesses in the backs: of said bars, substantially as described. 7

5, In a percussion fuse for projectiles, the

combination with a fuse stock and a primer cap mounted therein carrying a primer, and having an annular rib projecting beyond said primer, of a plunger mounted in said fuse stock and provided with a firing pin, locking bars pivotally attached to said plunger, and adapted to normally engage said annular rib, and a spring clip also carried by said plunger and adapted to hold said bars in the locking position in engagement with said rib except when the shell is spun up, substantially as described.

6. In a percussion fuse for projectiles, the combination with a fuse stock and a primer cap mounted therein, carrying a primer, and having an annular rib projecting beyond said primer, of a plunger mounted in said fuse stock and provided with a firing pin, locking bars pivotally attached to said plunger, andadapted to normally engage said annular rib, said bars being grooved at their inner forward ends to slip over said annular rib when the plunger creeps forward as the shell slows down, and a spring clip also carried by said plunger and adapted to hold said bars in the locking position in engagement with said rib except when the shell is spun up, substantially as described.

7. In a percussion fuse for projectiles, the combination with a fuse stock and a primer mounted therein, of a plunger mounted in said fuse stock and provided with a firing pin at the front end thereof, and with grooves in the sides thereof, locking bars pivotally mounted in said grooves, and adapted to engage an abutment carried by the fuse stock, and a spring clip mounted on the base of said plunger and having gripping arms engaging in recesses in the backs of said bars for holding said bars in the locking position in engagement with said abutment except when the shell is spun up, substantially as described.

8. In a percussion fuse for projectiles, the combination with a fuse stock and a primer mounted therein, of a plunger mounted in said fuse stock and provided with a firing pin, lugs extending from the rear of said plunger and engaging a socket in the fuse stock for holding said plunger from rotating in said fuse stock, locking bars pivotally attached to said plunger, and adapted to engage an abutment carried by the fuse stock, and a spring clip also carried by said plunger and having its base passing between said lugs, said clip being adapted to hold said bars in the locking position in engagement with said abutment except when the shell is spun up, substantially as described.

9. In a percussion fuse for projectiles, the combination with a fuse stock and a primer cap carrying a primer mounted therein, said cap being provided with an annular rib projecting beyond said primer, of a plunger mounted in said fuse stock and provided with a firing pin, the said plunger havin grooves in the opposite sides thereof, with s ioulders in rear of said grooves, looking bars pivotally attached to said plunger, and mounted in said grooves, and having their heels engaging said shoulders, and adapted to engage said annular rib, and a spring clip mounted on the base of said plunger and normally holding said bars in the locking position in engagement with said abutment except when the shell is spun up, substantially as described.

10. In a percussion fuse for projectiles, the combination with a fuse stock and a primer cap mounted therein carrying a primer, and having an annular rib projecting beyond said primer, of a plunger mounted in said fuse stock and provided with a firing pin, the said plunger having grooves in the opposite sides thereof, with shoulders in rear of said grooves, locking bars pivotally attached to said plunger, and mounted in said grooves, and having their heels engaging said shoulders, and adapted to engage said annular rib, and a spring clip mounted on the base of said plunger and normally holding said bars in the locking position in engagement with said abutment except when the shell is spun up, said spring clip having its side members engaging in recesses in the backs of said bars, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

LOUIS L. DRIGGS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

